International Franchise Expo Fuels Lead Generation, Proving to Accelerate Franchise Growth

As economic optimism continues to rise and the franchise industry outpaces non-franchise business for the eighth-consecutive year, franchisors and prospective business owners from the United States and around the globe are gearing up for the industry’s biggest event.

The 27th annual International Franchise Expo (IFE), held May 31-June 2 at the Javits Center in New York City gives franchisors an opportunity to meet face-to-face with prospective franchise owners from more than 120 countries. This year’s event will tap into the hottest domestic and international trends in the industry as highly qualified attendees seek out new business ventures – whether they’re first-time franchisees eager to start their entrepreneurial journeys, multi-unit franchisees looking to build their portfolio, or master-franchisees seeking international expansion opportunities.

With more than 400 exhibitors and thousands of attendees expected, the event is sure to drive leads and create new businesses.

Business growth and opportunity

The IFE becomes the epicenter of business opportunities and the perfect platform for franchise development. With so many potential franchisees gathered in one place, it only makes sense for franchisors to exhibit their concept at the largest expo in franchising and create a growth opportunity for their brand.

For maximum return, successful franchisors find value in utilizing the expo as an opportunity to build an in-person relationship with already qualified prospects. Knowing these prospects will be attending the IFE gives exhibitors reason to reach out to those who may be on the fence or still in the early stages of discovery. As face-time and personal relationships become an increasingly important aspect of the sales process, the IFE can prove to be the ideal forum to move prospects through the sales funnel.

By implementing an integrated strategy utilizing new-school and old-school tactics, franchisors will be well on their way to closing deals with promising, well-qualified leads eager to help grow their franchise brands.

The value of expo leads

Nearly 60 percent of attendees at the 2017 IFE planned on investing $50,000 - $1,00,000 or more in a franchise. There is a strong pool of candidates to interact with – strategically think about the ideal partner and seek out individuals who align with the brand’s goals, ideals, and lifestyle.

A qualified lead from trade show often holds more value than others. These leads can and should be taken more seriously by the company because it shows the prospect is serious about the investment - they have taken the time to travel to the event and learn more.

Franchisors should take advantage of the new age of trade shows. A smaller number of well-qualified leads compared to a large number of basic leads will be way more beneficial to a franchisor.

Proven results – successfully closed deals

The atmosphere at the IFE is electrifying as the exhibit hall buzzes with excitement. The diversity of both U.S.-based and international concepts entices prospective franchise owners as both audiences seek a perfect match. Over the years, the IFE has proven to a vehicle for franchise growth and development:

“The IFE was one of the best franchise expos we’ve been to,” said Kevin Aoki, CEO and founder of juice franchise Bluetree. “The traffic was heavy, nearly triple the number of people we’ve seen at other expos, and the quality of people visiting was unmatched. We signed a deal at IFE and have brought some promising prospects into the pipeline.”

“We’ve seen tremendous success at all MFV produced shows,” said Bill Chemero, Executive Vice President of Wayback Burgers. “At a past IFE, we awarded a master agreement for the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region for 28 countries. At the international shows, we’ve awarded master agreements in Ireland, London and the Netherlands. Each MFV produced expo we attend, we leave with dozens of qualified leads that convert.”

There is a reason franchisors, franchisees, entrepreneurs and industry experts flock to New York City every year for this premier event. Coming off eight years of continued growth, the franchise industry is one of the most successful, reliable and fastest growing sectors in the global economy. The IFE is the largest meeting of this industry as a whole and can provide countless benefits for all attending.

For more information on exhibiting or attending, please visit www.IFEinfo.com.

About the Author

John Erich, MFV Director of Marketing, brings 20 years of proven experience in the trade show industry, specifically in marketing, sales and show management with companies such as the Craft & Hobby Association and George Little Management. John oversees all aspects of marketing, media, and communications for MFV’s domestic franchise shows